Voltron: Resurgence:Mailing List Posts
by SolStarSenshi
Summary: Voltron:Resurgence is a story group on Yahoo telling the tale of the survivors who fled to the long dead 3rd Universe from the resurrected Galran/Galvesh fleets 1000 years after the show. These are the posts I either wrote or collaborated with.
1. Arun Planetfall

"Welcome to your new homeworld Dina."

The little girl looked up at her mama and took in the expression, deciding that it was one she could smile over. That decided, she looked over the field that the shuttle had set down in. It was filled with tall grasses that were a nice shade of not yellow. The girl didn't know what the color was but it was not yellow. That determined she looked up at the ceiling. It was filled with white fluffy things and was a dark blue with spotlights to their left and an interesting rainbow to the right.

"Ceiling rainbow colors mama," she said looking back up at her mother as she pointed to the side.

Eve paused for a moment as she figured out what Dina had said and then started laughing, a light sound for the first time in…she didn't know how long, not that she wanted to think of it. "It's the sun set Dina. On a planet the ceiling is called the sky."

"Spotlights?" the child asked as she pointed into the darker area.

"Those are stars," Eve replied with a smile.

Dina thought about that and then smiled up at her mother. "Home soon?" she asked before a butterfly caught their attention. At least Eve thought it was a butterfly. The history texts didn't really explain the similarities and differences between Earth and Arus that clearly. And it was all she could do to make up for the lack of real study regarding early childhood development.

She would always feel guilty over that.

"No Dina, we are not going home soon. We are going to enjoy the evening here on Arus before we return to the ship." Her comment made, Eve set her daughter down on the ground and took her hand in her own. Walking at the child's pace they walked over to what appeared to be a field of barley, or the Arun equivalent.

Two years. That was how long it had been and how long ago it was. Earth was ash. Or covered in cinders as far as anyone knew. The Galran who had threatened the Galactic Alliance suddenly appeared again on the path of war. Their divergent sibling species of the Galvesh had decided to abandon the ancient alliance with the humans who led the Alliance and joined the Galran in the slaughter of the innocent.

If they were lucky, it was the slaughter of the innocent. Otherwise it was anything but the release of death. She had yet to crack the Book open again but now that Dina was growing up, she would need to do so. She had performed Bat Mitzvah; her daughter would as well.

Or at least that was the eventual plan. Life had a nasty habit of … "Dina, don't run to far!" she called out smiling before loosing herself to her thoughts. Life had a nasty habit of changing the plans on you, she thought to herself as she sat down in the field, her daughter enjoying the presence of first a butterfly and then a slowly increasing number of fireflies.

Pulling the computer from her shoulder pack she turned it on, keeping an eye on her daughter. A glance at it as it auto-loaded the programs per her instructions back on the ship and she was tapping through, watching the girl as she verified everything was running as expected. Sitting it on the ground she tapped her earpiece. "Computer getting data as expected. Anything else Captain Maxwell?"

"No Ms. Hickey," he replied, stressing the English pronunciation of her Irish family name. "Just make sure that you keep the computer synchronizing with our devices while we are down here. Other than that, enjoy the time with your daughter," he added in a tone that conveyed his smile to her.

"Thank you Captain. I will be sure to do so," she replied quietly, a bittersweet smile on her face. Tapping the connection off she glanced up and then did a final once over of the programs before reclining backwards on her hands and watching Dina play in the fields of gold.

"Thank you for your time," Commander Pimsleur said as he turned from the computer that was now plugged into the mainframe. "It is such a good thing that you have an instinctual understanding of data organization, Ms. hIcidhe," he said as he looked at the young mother and her daughter who was sleeping in her arms.

Eve smiled back at him. "I am just glad that I am able to help. The computer did most of the work of the data organization. I just had to make sure," she paused briefly as she shifted the shoulder Dina was sleeping on, "that any glitches, all five of them over the three hours we were planet side, were resolved immediately. And I am pleased to say that all five were not crippling in the least," she added with a smile.

"That is good to know," he replied with as large a smile as he was apt to show in return. "On the flyby, did you see a spot that caught your attention?"

"You mean where I would want my house?" she replied in response.

"Yes, where you would want your house," he clarified, the smile actually getting larger at the impudence she was showing him.

"I am partial, at least immediately, to the fields of Arun barley we landed in. I also would like a water front property if possible. Mom and dad owned such a place," she trailed quietly off, seeing her childhood home as it was in her mind's eye. "Maybe ocean property. I doubt I would be happy with a lake front one," she suddenly piped up, the melancholy an accepted fact of her, and all the other survivor's lives.

"True. There is coastal property that would be easily accessed. It looks like the ancient civilization is still present with the cities clearly visible should you know where to look," he said, trailing off.

"Do you think there are survivor's? Either underground like the history texts say was the case with Zarkon's Doom Empire or somewhere else, such as the ocean?" she added as an afterthought.

"I would like to think so," he said with a sigh. "I would like to think so. The Arun civilization was an old and ancient one. After all, they didn't loose access to what we of Earth would call magic. Unlike Earth with its various paranoia moments through out its history.

"Enough of dreary talk. There is excitement that we have found the molten ruins of the Castle of Lions. It's only a few dozen miles from the ocean so the fleet would like to set up in the surrounding area. Maybe even rebuild the capital city of Lionne," he added with a smile up at her.

"Leonne sir. It was written and pronounced like the zodiac being," she teased him earning a laugh in the process. "If you excuse me, I am going to head to my quarters. It's late and I did tell Gregory I might not talk to him tonight so I will," she paused as a yawn came over her, "head to my quarters, get Dina changed and in her bed," another yawn took over her at that moment.

"And I would hope you would let yourself fall onto either a couch or your own bed. Niceties can be excused for one night," Pimsleur said pointedly, concern on his face. Eve would work to exhaustion sometimes he noticed. Not a good thing when her daughter took up all her energy.

One should not have to become a mother under the conditions she did, and not at the age she did either. At least it was because of the tragedy with their parents and not a tragedy with her personally. Well, at least not as personal as it could have been he thought to himself. Captain Maxwell and he had taken to protecting the young woman as much as they could while being discrete about it.

If only she would inquire about actually joining the Garrison he thought to himself as he continued to watch the woman in front of him.

She nodded as she came to a decision. "Yeah, I think I will use the cot in Dina's room." Her quarters were not spacious aboard ship but they did have separate rooms for each other, a room with both shower and toilet and a kitchenette that could hold a couple of guests. Resources were tight but she did a phenomenal job with data entry. The fleet could not reward her well enough as long as she didn't join it officially.

"Good," he replied as he stood. "I am going to be a gentleman and walk you back to your quarters, whether you need me to or not." Seeing her nod in acceptance he secured the office from accidental tampering of the data processing and walked her through the corridors to her home. Midway they encountered Captain Maxwell and the three of them continued on their way, Maxwell asking how things went for Eve. After Eve said good night to them, stifling another yawn, the two old friends turned and walked away from her quarters.

"Patrick, we need to give her time off," Pimsleur said to his friend.

"As soon as we can get her a home on Arus I will force her to take time with her daughter, even if I can't make the point diplomatically," Patrick Maxwell said to his friend. "Even if I can't make the point diplomatically John," he reaffirmed as they headed back to the science room and the computers compiling the habitability data.

"Latke," came the demand from the kitchenette's table.

"Sorry, its straight hash browns this morning Dina. Have your egg," Eve said lightly as she sat down with her own plate. Dina glared at her and thwacked the table. Eve just raised an eyebrow as she scooped some of her hash browns onto a fork and placed them in her mouth. Dina continued to glare before she picked up her egg and started to eat the poached food.

Poaching it was easier than worrying about having her use her fork. The standard assortment of fruit was out as well as some of the nuts she had managed to afford from the ship's enviroponics facility. Every so often she had to tell the staff to come get the honeybee that managed to find its way into the section with the living quarters.

"We will be reading again today Dina. Which books would you like to read?" she asked as she ate her food, figuring that the hash browns would not be eaten as Dina reached for the orange slices.

"Kitty!" the two year old shouted as she picked up the second slice after all.

"Alright," Eve replied as she laughed. "The Kitty books it will be." The stories were simple but still engaging enough that parents and other family members would love to read them with the children. She should know, first she and then Karen as well had demanded the books when it was reading time. The nice thing about the series was that it had been written for multiple ages so that as children grew up, they still had their storybook friends.

The series had even gone into a teenager/young adult series for the older fans who had long since passed beyond the originals. Some of her favorite, check that, her favorite book was from that section of the storyline.

During the evacuation, the Kitty books were the one thing she had irrationally insisted on having. Neither Karen nor Gregory had insisted otherwise. After all, they were raising Dina as a family.

"Mama?"

"Sorry, bad thought," Eve said as she wiped her eyes, which had teared for more than she had thought. _'Had I started to cry?'_ she flashed on, as she had to use her napkin to wipe up the streaks she had not known she had on her cheeks. "Just a bad thought," she said, smiling slightly for Dina's benefit. "It will be alright in a moment," she said, truthfully this morning.

Dina looked at her, a new orange slice half eaten in her hands, and then smiled as she decided that her mama would be all right. Eve let out a sight of relief that she had accepted it that easily this morning. Dina would be a people person; no doubt of it existed in Eve's mind.

"Have some almonds," she said as she stood and kissed Dina's head before she cleared the table of her own dishes. She did note that Dina had a spoonful of hash browns as she walked from the table. Apparently her little tear session had made her decide to please her mother.

Stepping over to the computer terminal, she turned the machine on. When it was toy time she would be able to go over the data she was working with everyday. After all, it was what allowed her to have the pleasures and splurges that she did have, in addition to being able to be with Dina at almost all times.

After all, they were their only family now.

Author's Note:

Email based role-play one thousand years after the cartoon (converted anime).

.com/group/voltronresurgence/

As of this moment there are no scenes possible with any of the cannon characters. When we get enough posts together to start assigning Lion Pilot positions then we may have scenes where the new pilot converses with the original.

All original characters.

This was a set of three scenes I wrote for the Prelude post.

Eve is my character in the story group.

Patrick Maxwell is a tribute to Leadership Teacher John Maxwell, Patrick comes from St. Patrick of Ireland.

John Pimsleur is as much a tribute to John Maxwell (used his first name as Pimsleur's) while the last name came off my Japanese Instant Conversation box from Barnes and Noble Audio Publications.


	2. Conversations Between Leaders

"Lt. Tale Fabrication greets Major One Pulled Over Every Time," the voice cheerfully chirped his greetings over the communications channel, the thirty-something greeting his mentor with a smile on his face.

"Greetings Captain of the Lollipop. How are you tonight Patrick?" the older man, late forties, early fifties, responded with amusement as he continued to read the reports in front of him.

"I am doing well Serpico-san. I have our preliminary reports written and ready to transmit," he said, watching as his mentor snapped his current concerns into a stack, closed the two portable computers and turned to face his subordinate. "Transmit?"

"Yes please," was the response as he cleared his main computer terminal and watched the stopwatch turn as he confirmed acceptance of the files being transmitted. "Any issues?" he asked as the connection was established between Gaia's Hope and Environmental Dream.

"None, at least known for now. The viral and bacterial content was within known medical allowances. The worst Commander Marks expects is to have high fevers and general 'new environment' adaptation issues. He expects it won't be any worse than any normal move to a new planet."

"Did you and John land on the planet?" he asked as he started to read through the preface report, leaning forward only to pause and look around before he spied his cup of tea. Making a face at how cold it had gotten he looked up at his protégé who had responded.

"Of course. The two of us always hit planets that we encounter. I am pleased to say that the Arun ecosystems seem to be in full swing. Plant life is overgrown or fully reclaimed the formally inhabited areas. Sea life seems generally intact with all levels represented. Insects seem to be firmly reestablished while birds and small animals are at a very low level.

"It's a planet coming back to life," he finished pointedly as he leaned back, his cup of coffee in hand.

"Any sign of sentient life?" the question was posed as he looked through the digital copy of the reports. "These are incredibly organized," he muttered to himself as he read up on the plant life to soil health.

"None, other than ruins, which included the molten ruins of the Castle of Lions. No, we detected none of the signatures associated with the Go-Lion mecha," he responded to the sudden focus of attention the Admiral was giving him. "There was no indication of either their power signature or their structural alloys unique electromagnetic signature.

"If they are on Arus they are either buried, stored or a combination of the two."

"And we don't have the Armored Trooper to help the situation. Diamond, the colloquial termed Middle Universe, is able to hold off the United Drule Fleet because they have the Gladiator – but that is all they are able to do.

"If we want to have true safety we either recover the Trooper, locate and reactivate the Go-Lion, or the third and least likely option: build a new Voltron from scratch." He fell silent, musing over their situation before his terminal chirped at him. Tapping the screen so that the reminder was acknowledged, he stood and walked to his kitchenette.

"I say we concentrate on locating the Go-Lion," he said as he came back over, his nightly pills in hand. "We are here at Arus anyway. And we can't go back after the Vehicle Voltron in our current state. At least we know that the Defender and its support craft are ok from their regular pulse messages."

"How soon until we can make a scouting run to the system where they are holed up in?" Patrick asked as he sipped some coffee.

"Not until we are able to keep the civilian safe. I hate to say this but I think we are at an extinction threshold like the one that bottlenecked the Homo sapiens approximately 200,000 years ago. Wait, you don't pay that much detail to anthropology and archeology. Sorry, my habit running my mouth again.

"Weren't humans suddenly reduced from tens of thousands of individuals to mere hundreds during a particularly brutal glacial period?" Patrick asked in confirmation, a thoughtful look on his face as he racked his brain for the details of the conversations they have had over the years.

"Marine Isotope Stage Six. Every decade in August since 2010 the publication Scientific American has run an article on it or it's impact on the various species, human included, that survived it. Guess they won't be publishing one this time," he added thoughtfully in a regretful tone.

"So, the population is suddenly stripped to bare minimum since whole planets were made extinct. What does that mean for our genetic code?" Patrick asked, not really expecting an answer that would mean much to him.

"Basically, nothing. We have a definite gene pool that would be of sufficient variation for procreation. No chance of genetic inbreeding. Or at least none that wasn't already in the human genome," he responded cheerfully, laughing at the rude gesture Patrick gave him.

The two fell silent, the Captain content to let the Admiral read the reports and draw his own conclusions. Time passed and a yawn marked the midnight hour for Environmental Dream, Patrick Maxwell noted with amusement. His focus in education was societal, not biologic; that meant nothing when commissions were handed out for command of one of the premier terraforming platform enabled star craft were handed out. At least John Pimsleur had received assignment to his command; his best friend was a biological science coinsurer.

"How are these so well organized Patrick? You were just down there last night."

"Eve Hickey correlated the data," he replied, using, as always, the English form of her name. The Admiral snapped his eyes back to the communication's screen, narrowing them in thought. "I gave her permission to take her daughter down with us when we went to Arus."

"You exposed a child…two children to an unknown world?"

"Ms. Hickey is a young woman and yes, she knew the danger. She chose to be optimistic and, as I instructed her, look for a sight for her home." Patrick fell silent. Admiral Eli Serpico had just enough orientation to family traditions that you did not allow a child, any age, to be endangered. And he knew how horribly Ms. Hickey's childhood had ended from Patrick's regular reports on the young woman.

"I think," the Admiral said carefully and quietly, "that you give way to much credit to her ability to function. I will not remove her from your vessel since it is now her home, but I want you to remember that she is just days shy of twenty. There is no reason to mar what is left of her life by endangering either her or her daughter again.

"You will still let her go planetside should she desire to accompany the teams," he said after a minute of meeting Patrick's eyes.

"Yes."

"Damn you. All right, get some rest. I will be turning in shortly myself. Let me know if there are any breakthroughs with the science analysis. Otherwise I will talk to you tomorrow night.

"Have a good one Patrick."

"You too sir," Patrick said as he raised his coffee mug in response to the Admiral's raised tea mug.

Author's Note:

The link to the article that I used in the conversation:

.?id=interactive-seas-saved-humanity

Admiral Eli Serpico is a community property character in the story group.

I may have undershot the ages for him and Maxwell when I wrote the piece given some backstory that I am debating going with.

Maxwell tends to speak with a Japanese formality that I envision having been learned from his homeworld, an American/Japanese or British/Japanese dominated colony/civilization.


	3. Emergency Aid Drop

"I am not happy."

The statement from his friend and commanding officer was only the most recent as he tried to fathom where the miscommunication occurred in his contact with the engineering corps vessel _Eisenhower_. They were not to drop their teams for at least another two days pending the results of the survey that was to occur today. Or would have occurred today if the _Roundabout_ hadn't screwed the timetable up.

"Well at least there was a flight squad in place on the surface," Pimsleur said, earning him a look that told him to shut up. Unimpressed he kept up. "Since they are there and the _Eisenhower_ has successfully built outposts, we can at least make efforts to minimize the damage and injuries."

"And if there is an Arun civilization hiding in the ground and oceans of the world?" was the tight response.

"Then we have a diplomatic clusterfuck of the highest degree and both you and the Admiral are going to have to talk fast and hard. Do you think it will hit the area around the castle's remains?" he asked as the door to the shuttlecraft opened.

"No, Adina will not be coming with us." Pimsleur snapped his head to see Ms. hIcidhe standing next to the command shuttle with her daughter in her arms, backpacks on both of them.

"You need me. The _Crusher_ and the other medical stations won't be in a position to help for at least an hour. Either in the field with the injured or assessing the data and directing people as needed." Pimsleur noted she had not acknowledged the child sleepily hugging her neck.

He watched Maxwell stand there, staring Ms. hIcidhe down. Or trying to. She was right; Maxwell knew he needed her there. And she held to her promise to protect her daughter no matter what. If that meant having her sleep in her jammies while she helped people with her EMT training or managed the supplies and personnel then that was what happened.

"Data processing inside _Freya's Joy_," he snapped in consent as he motioned her aboard the _Environmental Dream_'s command craft. "I hope not. If one of our ships do hit and damage the space around the ruins of the Castle of Lions then it will be all over diplomatically before it begins, should the Arun civilization still exist.

"Earhart! Launch when the doors are…never mind," Maxwell finished as the shuttle pilot was already in the air. As the doors sealed the shuttle tight it was passing out of the energy shield that held atmosphere inside the open hanger. "I truly do not look forward to finding out that one of our ships did indeed impact in such a location, whether or not the Aruns managed to survive these past thousand years of no contact.

"Amile, how are we handling?" Pimsleur asked as he nodded parting to Maxwell and joined the shuttle commander in the cockpit proper. Lt. Justine Simons waved an acknowledgement to the Commander as she kept the telemetry clear for her partner.

"I hate crashing ships. They disrupt the natural cycles of the atmosphere. Not to mention their thruster's wake and bywash further disrupting things," she replied as she adjusted the controls, making the flight that much easier to ride. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," she said, her volume ranging up from breathed to firmly stated. "It's near the volcanic system that the ruins of the Castle of Lions are roughly tagged are."

"Yep, cluster fucked." Pimsleur was quiet as she dropped _Freya's Joy_ to the nearest clearing that was far enough away that a critical situation would not instantly endanger the shuttle. "John, its kissing the cliff side we do not want it to be," he called ahead as he returned to the cabin and stepped out of the shuttle itself. The rest of the available craft were trying to follow Earhart's trajectory; the next one down would be a couple of minutes.

"Get the terminals set up here! Activate the system link as soon as the first one is running so Ms. hIcidhe can coordinate the medical response. Yeah, I figured as much," he said as he gestured to the ruins a nice all day hike away. "We are right between the ruins and the crash. Base camp is established and then we start moving the med and science shuttles back and forth for the survivor's aid."

"System up and running…and I can ping the _Roundabout_!" Eve shouted, having successfully connected to the starcraft with the fleet comm. range. "Their comm. systems are about half power if the frequency check is any indication. The bridge pings there are no immediately life-threatening injuries on the bridge. They are texting me that they are starting to get reports from the various decks."

"Good news is good news. What is the immediate assessment?" Maxwell asked as he and Pimsleur joined her at the terminal. Dina was asleep on a cushion Eve had pulled from one of the seats of the shuttle.

"Injuries, minor to major; none life-threatening," Eve responded as she started to pull up the arriving med teams and their specialties. "So far, it looks like we lucked out. But who knows how long that will last," she cautioned as she started to focus on the med teams.

Maxwell tapped his earpiece as it chirped. "Patrick, I am sending El Fadil and his med team down in _Demeter's Gift_," Admiral Serpico said. "Perfect location. Tell Simons she finds the perfect place for Earhart to land each time."

"Bad comment," he muttered under his breath at the image that appeared in his mind's eye. "Understood Serpico-san. I will make sure that Ms. Hickey is aware of the incoming team," he said as he got the acknowledgement wave that she had figured out what he was referring to, her hands flashing over the keyboards and screens popping up and down as fast as she could look at and move through.

"You have her on the planet?" was the cold comment.

"Didn't have anyone better able to manipulate the data situation. She insisted on coming."

"Maxwell," was the resigned comment.

"Give me someone just as good for these emergency situations," he responded as he watched Pimsleur clean up, the first of the operating stations already set up, the canopy-tent being assembled around the area as they spoke.

"Be careful," was the warning and the wish.

"Thank you," Maxwell said before the connection was closed and he was calling orders. If things were more than the broken bones and torn muscles that the preliminary reports Eve was receiving on the _Roundabout's_ status then they would be ready.

Author's Note:

One of the posts had a ship (the _Roundabout_) crashing to the surface of Arus, hence this post.

Another post had already dropped an outpost to the surface hence the reference to the engineering starship _Eisenhower_.

The medical platform _Disease Crusher_ is a mobile space station that is 'named as much for an obscure science fiction character as its role in preventing and curing diseases'. A tribute to Doctor Beverly Crusher of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Contrary to another person referencing the makeup of the _Environmental Dream_, Capt. Maxwell does not have a personal shuttle.

By the same token, _Freya's Dream_, is the command shuttle. Named for the Vanir-Aseir goddess of the harvest/fertility.

Earhart should be an obvious tribute.

Justine Simons was amusing in her creation. Was listening to radio Disney and a Justin Bieber song was playing and a former manager of mine had the last name Simons (Sai-mons). Not sure how they came together but they did.

El-Fadil is a tribute to the actor 'Alexander' Siddig El-Fadil who played Doctor Julian Bashier on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Yes, I like Star Trek, the original series, Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. Voyager worked for what it was but it hurt Enterprise because the era of the Next Generation was on air for to long a time in my opinion. In setting, I figure after a fifteen hundred years, the characters of the different eras would have been reset several times like we just had with the theatrical relaunch of the series. Which I loved. We need more please.


	4. Sunrise After Crashes

Eve paused as she took a deep breath and then knotted the wrapping on the burn victim's arm. The sun was starting to come up, lighting the east sky as sleepily as she felt. They had been working all night long and it was starting to take its toll on the people who had rushed to Arus. Already Commander Pimsleur had called for the stimulants that he was loathe to prescribe but they had not choice. Another starcraft had impacted in the forests somewhere close enough that they had heard the explosion of it's landing.

Word had come from the fleet that it was intact, just had the worst luck possible on its reentry.

"Mama?" Eve turned and looked at Dina who was sitting up on the cushion she had pulled from the passenger space of _Freya's Joy_ as she rubbed her left eye. "Breakfast?" she asked as she looked up at Eve.

"Inside the shuttle Adina-chan," Justine spoke up as she stepped over to the little girl. "Would you like to eat with me?" she asked as she kneeled down in front of her.

"Mama?" Dina asked as she looked over at Eve, a questioning look on her face.

"You may play with Simons-san if you wish after she helps you with your breakfast. Mama needs to finish here before she joins you," Eve gave her permission with a smile. Dina smiled back and held her hand out to Justine who took it with a smile for Dina and a knowing look of gratitude to Eve.

Nurse Shiyong stepped up behind Eve, coming even with her right side. "You should take a break and at least have breakfast with your daughter. A pause, even for a few minutes, would do you good."

"I can't stop," Eve said shaking her head as she looked at the _Environmental Dream's_ medical bay's morning shift lead. "While my brain may no longer see data patterns it can and will be able to apply ointment and bandages. So," she said as she turned back to her current patient, an enlisted man from the _Roundabout_, only to keep turning for a half circle as she wobbled on her feet.

"You are medically dismissed for at least half an hour," Shiyong said as she took Eve by the arm. "Pending evaluation of your stability at that point I may dismiss you for a four hour block of time. Lt. Simons will be able to keep Ms. Adina occupied should that be the case.

"Lets walk you into _Freya's Joy_," she finished; the commands clear in her tone and body language. That accomplished, with instructions to both Lt. Simmons and Adina to keep Eve inside for a full half hour she returned to the enlisted man, a strongly built man with an engineering uniform. "Now sergeant, lets get you finished," she said.

"Will she be ok?" Sergeant Molyneaux asked Nurse Shiyong surveyed his bandages, rubbing the day old stubble on his chin.

"Her daughter and friend will keep her in the shuttle until she is rested, whether she has sleep or not," Shiyong said as she decided that even mentally and physically exhausted, Eve knew how to apply cream and bandages properly.

"Lt. Simons, Ms. hIcidhe will be joining you and Ms. Adina for breakfast. I have determined that a period of one half hour will be an appropriate amount of time for said meal. I expect that you and Ms. Adina will be able to keep her with you for that amount of time," Nurse Shiyong was quite clear that even the toddler would be held responsible should her mother be allowed to return to the medical operation before that half hour was up.

While Dina just nodded solemnly as her mother joined them at the couch, sitting behind Dina, Justine snapped a salute to her fellow Lt. and nodded her understanding. "If she still seems wobbly after said half hour, how long is the rest cycle extended?" she asked as she finished opening the cap, with her other hand, on the orange juice bottle she had snagged when the meal crew was setting up their mobile facility. There was no doubt that they would be at least a full day here if not more.

Half the cafeteria staffs of each vessel with med teams deployed were themselves deployed to the Arun surface. Not only were their fellow crewmates in the medical division needing food but so did all of the people recovered so far from the _Roundabout_. Justine had hit Sara, who was one of the nutritionists from the _Environmental Dream_, to make food for her, Dina and she gambled Eve. A gamble that not only had Sara been willing to make but also proved to be valid.

"Four hours minimum Lt. Simmons. If she is still in a sleep cycle at the four-hour mark, let her remain in it for at least another two. We will be quite obvious if we are in need of her assistance at that time still." A nod and Nurse Shiyong was out the door of the shuttle.

"May I join you?" Eve asked, a tired smile on her face. Dina looked up at her mother and shifted so that she was in her lap. Giving thanks at the glass of orange juice Justine handed her, she looked at her hand as it shook, making her wonder if she would be able to get it to her mouth.

"When was the last time you had any calories?" Justine asked as she held Eve's hand steady with her hands and helped her friend bring the cup to her lips where she swallowed, slowly and then with energy. "Rephrase," she said with a slight smile, "when did you have anything to eat OR drink?" she asked as she made Eve stop drinking by pulling the cup and Eve's hand away from her mouth.

"I think…last night?" Eve said quietly, concern in her voice as she pondered when in the evening she actually ate something. "It was early…evening…when Dina had her dinner," she finished with an embarrassed look on her face.

"So, you had enough of a snack to hold Dina through the night but not enough to feed you when all was said and done. Eve," she said as she looked at her friend. "I know you can and do go one-track-mind on yourself and it works normally but if you are going to endanger yourself, it is bad."

"Sorry, I won't do it…I will be more careful in the future," she said, catching that she was setting herself up with a lie should she not actually be aware. Dina smiled up at her, just understanding that it was important and her mama was going to be more careful.

"Here, let me get you some water. I think it will be obvious that whether you get to sleep or not you are taking the full four hours of prescribed rest," Justine said as she stood and went to the shuttle's kitchenette. "I know we all can use some. Do you want room temperature or cold?" she called back to the cabin.

"Room for myself and Dina," Eve said as she let out a yawn. "Did you anticipate this?" she asked as she realized that the cabin had been reset with blankets on the couches and the chairs that could recline.

"Been expecting to have to cycle people through. Commander Pimsleur won't back down until the med ships drop their teams to the surface. Amile is in the cockpit, coordinating the next wave of ships. Don't worry; this is entirely her domain of trajectories and transit vectors. You do not have to help her," she said as she handed Eve her glass of water, which she set down without spilling and took her seat, handing Dina her glass, the handles taking the place of the wings on the bird it was a caricature of.

"So what now?" Eve asked as she realized that her blood sugar was doing flip-flops in her stomach. "What fruit do we have," she asked, her stomach rumbling in agreement with the question, her mind figuring simple sugars would be her best bet at the moment.

Justine was silent as she took in the situation. Reaching to the side she poured and handed Eve a glass of milk. "Don't worry, its goat milk. I know you don't particularly react well to cow's milk, never mind the fact that we don't have any on _Environmental_. The cheese slices are vegan, sourced from whole grains."

"Thank you," Eve said as she took the protein rich liquid. Smiling, as she was able to drink it without help, she closed her eyes and remained silent for a moment. "I think I will take Nurse Shiyong up on her order to take four hours for rest. Do you mind sitting with me?" she asked as she opened her eyes and looked at Justine.

"Don't worry, I eat slowly in the mornings as well. I will help you pace yourself after your unintentional fast and then watch Dina for you while you nap," Justine said, her breakfast quite light the last two weeks per medical reality.

"Thank you," Eve said with a warm smile, thanking her friend as she handed her a couple of strawberries before she offered the bowl to Dina, popping one into her mouth at the same time. Eve smiled at the happy grin that Dina had on her face as she picked a couple of large ones from the bowl and proceeded to place one in her mouth as much as she could and chew it.

John Pimsleur preceded his friend and commanding officer into the shuttle now that the medical ship's crews were landed and up to date. He took in the little girl happily coloring a picture from the shuttle's printer while her mother and the shuttle co-pilot slept on two separate couches. He looked to his left as Lt. Comm. Earhart stepped up to them.

"I think I can join Justine for our naptime. Captain Cho will continue to coordinate the shuttles as they come and go. Captain, Commander," she said in greeting and parting as she walked over to the couch in question. Pausing long enough to drop the back flat she dropped her uniform jacket over her partner and then pulled it over her shoulders as she turned into Justine's sleeping form.

"I am grabbing a couch in the back. Talk to you in three hours?" Patrick Maxwell asked as he looked over at his friend and chief medical officer.

"Make it four," John Pimsleur said as he sat down, a pained smile at the agony his muscles were in on his face. "Make …it…"

"Sleep well old friend," Maxwell said as he pulled a blanket free and covered his friend and the chair he had selected to sleep in. "Dr. Morrison, how are you today?" he asked as he watched the chief of pediatrics on _Gaia's Hope_ step into _Freya's Joy_ before moving over and pulling Amile's jacket from her sleeping form and spreading Justine's blanket over the two of them; someone, probably Justine, having already placed one on Eve.

"Good. You're exhausted; get some sleep," she said with a smile. "Hello Dina, would you like to read a story?" she asked the toddler as she set her shoulder bag down.

"Kitty!" the young child said as she looked at Dr. Morrison.

"Why am I not surprised," she teased as she pulled the first of the Kitty series from her bag. "Lets sit on this couch where your mama can see you when she wakes up, ok?" Dina nodded as she set her crayons down and stepped over to her pediatrician.

"Have a good time Allison," Patrick said with a smile as he laid down on the couch he had selected for himself, wrapping the blanket around himself and shifting so that he was tucked into it. He barely heard her wishing him a good sleep before he was out himself.

Author's Note:

Nurse Shiyong is named for Wang Shiyong, a 3-D artist whose piece _Classical Girl_ was featured in the 15 issue of _3D Artist_.

Sgt. Molyneaux is named for Stephen Molyneaux, a 3-D artist whose piece _Bernadette_ was featured in the inaugural magazine to _3D Artist_, www..

Justine's medical issue will be addressed in the future.

Capt. Cho is named for John Cho, who took over the role of Hikaru Sulu in the theatrical relaunch of Star Trek.

_Gaia's Hope_ is the name of the mass transport vessel that the story group is set around. Admiral Serpico is its commanding officer and it was a core reason as many people made it from the destruction of the Milky Way galaxy.

Dr. Allison Morison was named for a classmate in high school whose name I thought of when writing the character, and a vice principal at the same school (Mr. Morison).


	5. Encounter: Aruns and FleetCollab wKit

It was late afternoon when Eve woke up, a blanket stretched over her and Dina snuggled up to her. Slowly sitting up, careful not to wake her daughter, she stretched and looked around the shuttlecraft. _Freya's Joy_, the command shuttle for _Environmental Dream_, had clearly become a hostel with all of their lead medical personnel crashed out on the converted benches and chairs. She smiled as she saw Earhart was cuddled up to Simons and then let a brief chuckle as she saw both Captain Maxwell and Commander Pimsleur were both out in their respective chairs.

Standing up, she tucked Dina into the covers and used the bathroom before she placed a blanket over Dr. Morrison who was crashed on a couch. Taking a deep breath she let it out, a feeling of momentary contentment on her. Turning with a smile she opened the door and stepped out into the impromptu med space, staffed she saw, by the medical vessel's crew.

Captain Yugi Shen of the medical ship _Crusher_ spied Eve as she stepped out of _Freya's Joy_ and headed over, smiling at the young lady she had come to know over the months of the exodus. "Eve!" she called out, her tone friendly and a wave from her catching Eve's attention. "How are you doing?" she asked as they stepped up to each other, a smile on their faces.

"Good," Eve gushed as she held her friend in a hug. "After your teams started landing and your first officer took over the management and assignment I was able to help for a while with the lesser injuries. I then proceeded to take a late dinner since the sun was up..." she cringed at the admonishing exclamation of her name "...and then got to sleep for about seven hours.

"Since we are only about two and a half hours behind this location's noon on _Environmental_, it won't send my sleep cycle completely out of whack," she finished quietly.

"Do I have to have you with medical leave so you take care of yourself? John will sign off on it," Shen said as she looked at the young woman before her, an exasperated stance and expression, causing Eve to look ever more embarrassed.

"No," was the quiet reply.

Lyonene felt the girl in her arms shiver and felt herself slip out a few curses in her native tongue. Where was Mercutio? Where was the rescue party?

Neko's head jerked toward her in surprise. Lyonene wasn't known for letting her tongue slip.

"Soon, sweetling," she promised, glancing nervously at the other cryo-pods. She assessed quickly based on the damage that it wasn't likely other survivors would be among the child she found. How her people could refuse to help was beyond her. She felt it a great disservice and could almost picture shock and dismay on the faces of the refugees when they learned that there had been not only survivors on Arus, but a fully equipped modern society that could have saved lives.

"This isn't right," she whispered in their language to Neko and Mercutio through the earwiggs. "We need to help these people. We've been out here through the night and into the day. Mercutio, you've even come and gone…four times. I don't understand any of this, leaving a child to fend for herself..."

Neko held up a hand and Lyonene stopped babbling. "What or who is it?" She mumbled in common.

"My lady," Mercutio called coming through the rough. I believe I've found skeleton medical crew, two clicks, maybe three to the east. I believe it would be beneficial for us to take the child there."

Lyonene glanced up at Neko, whose stoic expression didn't give way any of her thoughts. Her protector only nodded to her and she nodded in affirmation. "Sweetling," she whispered into the girl's ear, "I'm going to carry you for a bit and hopefully we can get you something to eat."

"A number of medicinal plants seem to be growing in their recorded locations in the forest ecosystem," the voice of Lt. Stover droned on, causing both Eve and Shen, along with the rest of their search party for sure, to roll their eyes.

"Has anyone told Brainy there to shut up?" Eve deadpan whispered to her friend, earning a rude gesture from the Lt. in response and a giggle from Nurse Clarke who was walking next to them.

"It doesn't work. Why do you think she has the nickname she does?" Captain Shen said, a smile on her face.

"A thought," Eve replied, not really concerned with the verbal travelogue though a bit of quiet to hear the sounds of the forest would be nice. "Looks like there are birds through here," she said as she swept the canopy with her eyes, catching flashes of color other than the brown bark and green leaves.

They came to a stop as Lt. Stover held her hand up and looked around. Turing her head to better aid the people behind her point hear her she spoke. "I think we have survivors. One to two hundred meters ahead through the trees."

Captain Shen nodded at Stover and Eve stepped to the side as the med teams took a waiting stance. It was non-threatening but if necessary, they had their energy pistols easily usable if the worst case happened.

'So much for nice quiet final sweep in the daylight', Eve thought to herself, not sure if she should regret taking Captain Shen up on the offer to accompany her team or not. Dina had chosen to play in the fields with Dr. Morrison and Eve trusted her and the security teams of _Environmental Dream_, _Gaia's Hope_ and the medical platform _Disease Crusher _to keep Dina safe.

"One to one fifty...seventy-five to one hundred...fifty to sixty...forty-five...forty...thirty...twenty..." Stover stopped counting approach as they could hear people at that point making their way toward the area they had taken position in.

Nekosha saw them through the brush and motioned Mercutio forward to place themselves between the coming patrol and the Princess with her precious cargo.

Neko appeared to be ready to demand that they identify themselves before they all entered the clearing, but Lyonene had more faith in the Outlanders and Offworlders than that. Forcing a weak smile she pushed herself past Mercutio and Nekosha and stumbled into the clearing holding the child. "Hello?" She called out in heavily accented common. "Please if you can help us!"

A hand signal and Nurse Clarke was in motion, sliding her med pack off her shoulder and opening it up as she hopped over a root system in the undergrowth. "Cryoshock," she called out, having the woman carrying the child help her in setting the girl down. "Nervous system is not firing correctly but thankfully not fataly so," she read off her med scanner.

"NS is firing on a four-six ratio. Lungs are filling with air but still have cryo-gas in them. We need med lift to Med Base now. The _Pasteur_ is the only shuttle on the ground with the necessary chamber to flush the cryostasis residue and reset her internal pressure."

Shen walked over to the newcomers as she saw Stover signaling for the Crusher's command shuttle to their coordinates. "Hello, I am Captain Shen of the medical platform Disease Crusher. What can you tell us about where you found her and the condition she was in?"

"We came too and Mercutio," Lyonene spoke as she motioned to her strangely dressed companion, "we sent him to find help. We thought there would have been help if we stayed put. We made it through the night, I'm afraid the pods with her family..."

Nekosha put a hand on Lyonene's shoulder and squeezed gently. "What took so long? Why are people dieing out there?"

She shook her head hard. "We decided we would be better off looking for help."

"You have it now," Shen said as she regarded the three people. "Are there anymore pods near the location?" she asked as Stover waved acknowledgement.

"How soon?" Eve asked as she stepped over to Stover.

"They said less than five minutes and that _Demeter's...Gift_...would be coming to provide a recovery vehicle for the pods," Stover trailed off as first _Demeter's Gift_, the command shuttle of _Gaia's Hope _came into view through the canopy and then the _Pasteur_ joined her in the sky.

Two minutes later and the child was aboard, Eve choosing to return to Med Base. It was just enough to spook her, and she knew she was reacting irrationally, but she wanted to be with Dina to an overwhelming degree.

The good news was that the child immediately started stabilizing as soon as she was placed in the atmospheric chamber to the relief of the med team and the woman who had been carrying her.

Author's Note:

This collaboration was written with Kitlynne, the creator of the story group, as we talked one night via AIM (AOL Instant Messenger)

Captain Yugi Shen was named for Rui Shen's piece _Yuji_ in issue 3 of _3-D Artist_.

Lyonne is Kitlynne's character in the storygroup. Mercutio is played by Owen. Neko is played by someone who I have never wrote with before – blanking on her name.

Lt. Stover's name comes from the author of an Irish Romance novel that I borrowed from my mom. The 'Brainy' comment came from a rememberance of the smurf; incidentally the first teaser to the live action film has just come out.

The _Pasteur_ is the command shuttle of the medical platform _Disease Crusher_. It is named for Pasteur, the scientist who discovered the process of pasteurization of liquids for storage and commerce.

_Demeter's Gift_, the command shuttle for _Gaia's Hope_ is named for the fertility/harvest goddess of the Dodekatheon or Olympian gods.


	6. Reunion At Med Base

Eve barely let the pilot set the _Pasteur_ down before she was hitting the door latch and stepping off the descending staircase/ramp onto the Arun soil. Running forward she spied Dr. Allison Morrison at the edge of the Med Base, laughing at someone who was still playing in the field beyond. A smile on her face, the panic at being away lessened by her return, she took off at a cardiac testing run only to come to a stop as the last of the panic lifted from her.

"Mama!" a joyous cry called out to her as the toddler dashed forward to greet her.

Seconds later, relief, blissful, wonderful, perfect relief washed over her as she half caught, half scooped Dina up into her arms and hugged her daughter to her. The irrational terror of watching the little girl that the stranger had brought to them stabilize began to ebb and then threatened to gush out as damn that burst. Falling back onto skills she was so grateful to have, she acted as normal as she could. "Were you a good girl for Dr. Morrison?" she managed to ask in a fairly regular sounding voice.

"Mama's sad?" Dina asked as she reached up and touched Eve's tears, a concerned expression in her eyes.

'So much for acting skills,' Eve thought ruefully to herself as she shifted Dina and wiped what turned out to be more than she thought. "No, Dina, I am just, glad, to be, back with you," she managed, words cracking, to get out before her voice broke and she had to sit down with Dina as sobs of relief started to flow. "I am glad," she paused for air, "to be back," she managed to finish.

Dina just held her mama, knowing, somehow, that it was a good thing even if she didn't understand it. As Eve finally got her sobs and breathing under control, Dina patted her head. "Mama better?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, Dina, mama is better," Eve said with a relieved smile. Dina smiled back at her and hugged her before she started to squirm. It was clear she had been in Eve's arms for at least five eternities to long for a toddler. "Stay where I can see you," Eve said as she set Dina back down only to smile and wave as Dina paused to wave back to her as she went back into the fields of barley.

"Something happened that was not a quiet sweep to close the day off," Allison said as she stepped up to her friend. She was silent as Eve hugged herself and stared at the child playing. After several minutes of both of them watching the young girl she looked down at her friend who was next to her as she began to speak.

"We found people, two women and a man, who had found or rescued a girl from a stasis pod. The child was having a tough time fighting off the cryogas. Per Nurse Clarke of _Disease Crusher_ her nervous system was disrupted on a four-six ratio. Not life threatening but not comforting to watch as the child fought with the gas in her system."

Allison was silent as she stood, moving her attention between her friend and her friend's daughter who playing in the fields, chasing the fireflies that had begun to appear. She wasn't surprised at Eve's reaction, over the top that it was. The truth was she would probably act the same way, if she had been in Eve's shoes.

After all, Eve didn't have anyone other than Dina for all intents and purposes.

"I suddenly wanted to be back at base, Dina in my arms." Eve fell silent, watching her daughter play only to tumble down on her but as she tried to follow a particular firefly with more enthusiasm than her legs could handle. Her laughter caused Eve to relax before she had a chance to tense up in worry. Reaching up she gripped the hand as Allison hugged her, silently offering to hold the woman so she could cry discretely without upsetting her daughter.

An offer Eve took her up on, wrapping her arm around Allison's waist and leaning her head on her shoulder, tears already falling as she tried to not shake her friend with her sobs.

Author's Note:

Nothing really to say about this one other than it turned out to be more self contained than I thought. I wrote this basically on top of the collaboration I did with Kytlynne where Lyonne brought a little girl who survived her premature release from a cryopod.


End file.
